The way referendum slips are worded.

Bottle_of_Smoke

As far as I know referendums such as Lisbon treaty are worded "do you agree with the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty" or "do you agree with the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement"

I was too young for the GFA, out of the country for Lisbon & just can't remember what it looked like for the one before Lisbon

If it is this way, should it be? Or should it literally be a description of the change in the constitution?

For the GFA 94% of people voted yes. I can understand that as people wanted an end to the conflict, but would the result have been such a landslide if the paper said "do you want to remove the Irish republic's territorial claim to Northern Ireland?"

Now I'm glad of the symbolic value the 94% result sent out to unionists, but is it as "honest"?

I guess this thread is pointless if thats already the case, so if anyone can clarify. Otherwise what do people think?

seamus

Referendums are worded along the lines of, "Do you agree with the proposed amendments to the constitution?".

That's what they're required to ask. Asking, "Do you agree with the Lisbon treaty", wouldn't satisfy the constitutional requirement to ask the population for approval to make changes to the constitution.

Constitutional lawyers are the biggest sticklers in the whole law profession. You can be guaranteed that the wording of referenda is well sown up to prevent legal challenges.